Breaking: Scotland name 41-man World Cup training squad

Gregor Townsend has followed up the Tuesday morning confirmation that he will be the Scotland coach through to the 2026 Guinness Six Nations by announcing his 41-strong training squad for the upcoming Rugby World Cup in France.

Just two uncapped players – Cameron Henderson and centre Stafford McDowall – are included in the group that will gather for its first training session later this month ahead of a pool campaign that includes massive matches versus South Africa and Ireland.

Jonny Gray has not been included after suffering a knee injury recently, while Fraser Brown, Johnny Matthews and Mark Bennett are among the most notable absentees. The squad will be trimmed to 33 in August.

A statement read: “Head coach Gregor Townsend has named an extended 41-player Scotland squad for this year’s Rugby World Cup. The group will be led by captain Jamie Ritchie and will be trimmed to the requisite 33-player list ahead of the tournament itself, which gets underway in France in September.

“Of the 23 forwards selected by Townsend, flanker Rory Darge returns to the international set-up having missed the Guinness Six Nations through injury, with winger Darcy Graham also returning as one of 18 backs named, again having been unavailable through injury since the turn of the year.

“A consistency of selection means that there are only two uncapped players in the training squad: Second row Cameron Henderson and centre Stafford McDowall. There is plenty of experience with four players – WP Nel, Grant Gilchrist, Finn Russell and recent cap centurion Stuart Hogg – aiming to represent Scotland at a third Rugby World Cup (all featured in 2015 and 2019).

“The 41-player group will gather for an initial training camp on May 29 to begin preparations for warm-up matches in the Famous Grouse Nations Series against France, Italy and Georgia at BT Murrayfield in July and August. Scotland also play France in an away warm-up in St Etienne in August.

“The Rugby World Cup itself will see Scotland compete in Pool B alongside South Africa, Ireland, Tonga and Romania, with a first fixture against the world champion Springboks on Sunday, September 10, in Marseille.”

Scotland (41-strong RWC training squad)

Forwards (23):

Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks) 7 caps

Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) 28 caps

Dave Cherry (Edinburgh Rugby) 8 caps

Andy Christie (Saracens) 4 caps

Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh Rugby) 4 caps

Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) 25 caps

Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors) 7 caps

Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors) 9 caps

Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 33 caps

Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 58 caps

Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) 62 caps

Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 73 caps

Cameron Henderson (Leicester Tigers) uncapped

Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby) 47 caps

WP Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) 54 caps

Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby) - CAPTAIN - 41 caps

Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby) 21 caps

Javan Sebastian (Scarlets) 3 caps

Sam Skinner (Edinburgh Rugby) 25 caps

Rory Sutherland (Ulster Rugby) 23 caps

George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) 35 caps

Murphy Walker (Glasgow Warriors) 2 caps

Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) 57 caps

Backs (18)

Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors) 1 cap

Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby) 33 caps

Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby) 42 caps

Adam Hastings (Gloucester Rugby) 27 caps

Ben Healy (Munster Rugby) 1 caps

Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) 100 caps

George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 20 caps

Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) 36 caps

Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby) 43 caps

Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped

Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) 61 caps

Cameron Redpath (Bath Rugby) 5 caps

Finn Russell (Racing 92) 69 caps

Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors) 3 caps

Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors) 10 caps

Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) 16 caps

Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby) 28 caps

Ben White (London Irish) 14 caps